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Appalachian celebrates Earth day with a month of events

Sustainability is a heartfelt value at Appalachian State University. To celebrate Earth Month 2014, the university is hosting more than 40 free events in April to promote sustainable practices in people’s everyday lives – environmentally, socially and economically.

“Sustainability at Appalachian is woven into the fabric of not only our campus, but also the entire High Country,” said Ged Moody, director of the Office of Sustainability. “Earth Day is an internationally recognized celebration of our amazing planet, and we felt it worthy of an entire month of events and activities to share with the greater community all the innovative and engaging work being done at Appalachian around sustainability.”

The celebration’s theme is “Sustainability - not a trend, a tradition.” Highlights include:

A talk by 2013 CNN Hero of the Year Chad Pregacke April 14 at 7 p.m. at the Harvest House located in Boone Heights Shopping Center about his non-profit Living Lands & Waters.

Completing a service-learning project at the Hospitality House of Boone, AIM High participants planted 24 pear and apple trees and constructed two raised garden beds for the shelter’s community garden.

Sustainability in Action

Among its Renewable Energy Initiative projects, Appalachian has the largest community-scale wind turbine in North Carolina. At 153 feet tall, it generates enough electricity to meet the demands of about a dozen typical American households.

Appalachian’s Food Services has increased its percentage of locally purchased food to 14.6 percent. In addition, the university employs a local staff to prepare all food that is served on campus.

Among Appalachian’s many community engagement activities, students in The Honors College’s AIM High program have constructed raised garden beds and planted fruit trees at the Hospitality House, the region’s local homeless shelter.